The Wiz of Odds

Just Like Old Times for USC

USC rolled out the red carpet and the Song Girls to welcome new university president C.L. Max Nikias and his wife Niki for Saturday's game against California at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. The Trojans didn't disappoint, rolling to a 48-14 victory. Image of Sport was on the scene and you can view their gallery from the game by clicking here.

Football Saturday in Dinkytown

Wiz correspondent Greg Laughlin made the trek Saturday to the Land of 10,000 Lakes for the USC-Minnesota game in the Golden Gophers' sparkling TCF Bank Stadium. Although these are not the best of times for Minnesota football, the school did honor a slice of its rich history by welcoming back more than 40 players from its 1960 national championship team.

The 2010 Gophers didn't live up to those lofty standards, but they did put up a fight before falling to the Trojans, 32-21.

There are more photos after the jump. To view Greg's gallery from the game, click here.

Is Everybody Happy Now?

Reggie Bush's decision to give back his 2005 Heisman Trophy gave writers one last free shot at the former USC standout. It's an opportunity they couldn't pass up.

Columnists at nearly every media outlet took the predictable route of saying what a bad guy Bush was while blindly ignoring the reality that college football is simply a game full of cheaters. Bush and USC just happened to get caught.

There's probably not a Heisman winner in the past 20 years who wasn't a recipient of a $100 handshake from a booster. Most took more, a lot more.

Nonetheless, the Heisman has embarked on a course of purity. Good luck with that. Bush is the first to hand over the trophy, but he won't be the last.

A sampling of views from around the country:

USC Kicks Off the Season in Hawaii

A trip to Hawaii was USC's first road game since NCAA sanctions were announced against the program and — if nothing else — it showed that the Trojans can expect a long road ahead. Warrior fans wasted no time razzing the visitors, and USC can expect this treatment for years to come.

Darryl Oumi sent several terrific shots from Thursday's activities — from the walk-through by USC to players being interviewed afterward on the field. Check out the complete gallery after the jump. Thanks to John Tamanaha!

Did Hawaii Score? Refs Say No

Hawaii's Greg Salas rolls into the end zone for what looks to be a touchdown just before halftime, but after appearing to signal a score, the referees decide to spot the ball just short of the goal. The Warriors settled for a field goal and trailed, 27-16, at the half. Defenseless USC won, 49-36, despite being outgained, 588-524.

USC

Is Lane Kiffin, as he's portrayed in Southeastern Conference circles, a knucklehead coach who has cornered the market on — among other things — secondary NCAA violations? Kiffin, 35, was Tennessee's coach for 408 days, but they can't stop talking about him in Knoxville. A local attorney even tried to rename a wastewater treatment plant the "Lane Kiffin Sewage Center."  There have been no meltdowns, no disparaging remarks, no youthful hijinks from Kiffin thus far at USC. Has Pete Carroll's replacement found peace in L.A., or was he merely the wrong fit in the land of Rocky Top? As for the poster schedule, it's described as "sort of a diptych." The first section (the left side) was distributed at the spring game. The right side will be distributed Sunday at the Salute to Troy event.

As a run-up to the start of the season, the Wiz will display one poster each day until our supply is exhausted.

Then we turn it over to readers, who will vote on the poster of the year. In the meantime, send your team's poster schedule to jayzuma (at) gmail.com.

Last year, the site displayed 69 posters. This is poster No. 53 for 2010. Thanks to Tim and Jonathan!